Firing and safety mechanism for recoilless firearms



W. J. KROEGER ETAL ,FIRING AND SAFETY MECHAISM FOR RECOILLESS FIREARMS Jan. 9, 1951 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Feb. 2, 1949 INVENTORj- -II//J/w-/m ATTORNEYS.

Jan. 9, 1951 w. J. KROEGER ETAL FIRING AND SAFETY MECHANISM FOR RECOILLESS FIREARMS Filed Feb. 2. 1949 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Jn 9 1951 w. J. KROEGER :s1-AL 2,537,062

FIRING lAND SAFETY MECHANISM FOR RECILLESS FIREARMS Filed Feb. 2, 1949 s shees-sheet s INVENToRs ILLIAM J. KROEGER. WALTON MUSER.

ATTORNEYS.

Patented Jan. 9, 1951 FIRING AND SAFETY MECHANISM FOR RECOILLESS FIREARMS William J. Krueger and Clarence Walton Musser, Philadelphia, Pa.

Application February 2, 1949, Serial No. 74,163

Claims. Y (Cl. 891.7)

(Granted under the act of March 3, 1883, as amended April 30, 1928; 370 0. G. 757) The invention described herein may be manut factured and used by or for the Govermnent for governmental purposes without the payment of any royalty thereon.

The present application is a continuation of Application Serial No. 577,830 filed on February 14, 1945, now Patent Number 2,472,111, in the names of William J. Kroeger and C. Walton Musser for Recoilless Firearm and Ammunition Therefor.

Our invention relates to firearms of the recoilless type, and it has special reference to nonrecoil guns wherein the forces of rearward reaction that result from projectile discharge are neutralized by forwardly acting counterforces simultaneously set up by the propellent charges combustion.

Broadly stated, the object of our invention is to improve the design and extend the usefulness of recoilless guns wherein the named recoil neutralization is effected by a rearward escape of generated powder gas through openings or orifices in the guns breech.

A more specific object is to provide improved ring and safety mechanisms for such recoilless guns.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent as the disclosure and description hereof proceed.

In the aforementioned parent application we disclosed a number of factors to be necessary to a satisfactory operation of our inventive recoilless firearm. In constructing one recoilless firearm pursuant to that disclosure we: (a) make the guns chamber substantially larger in diameter than the ammunition cartridge case which fits therein; (b) support this cartridge case centrally in the enlarged chamber solely from the two ends of the case; (c) provide in the guns breech a rearwardly opening orifice of unique annular nozzle design that is capable of ready adjustment for optimum area; (d) use a cartridge case having a metal wall which is perforated throughout the length and circumference of the case and which permits discharge of propellent combustion gases radially against the chambers surrounding wall and then rearwardly from the gun out through the annular orifice of the guns breech; (e) pre-engrave the projectile for ready passage through the rifled bore of the guns barrel, and (f) so coordinate the breech and firing mechanisms as to permit quick and convenient loading and firing.

The invention to which the present specification is essentially restricted is concerned with the specific firing and safety mechanisms used in the gun rst disclosed by the aforementioned parent application. The present invention, together with illustrative embodiments thereof, will thus be understood from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a recoilless gun of mm. caliber which incorporates our inventive features;

Fig. 2 is a rear view of the Fig. 1 weapon with the breech bar thereof horizontal and the breech block secured within the chamber where it constitutes the inner wall of an annular orifice;

Fig. 3 shows our weapon in rear elevation with the breech bar and breech block thereof rotated to the unlatched position;

Fig. 4 is a section on line 4-4 of Fig. 2 through hinge and breech bar rollers by which the firing mechanisms hammer is cocked upon each unlatching of the breech;

Fig. 5 is a section on line 5--5 of Fig. 2 showing further details of the breech block, locking devices therefor, the ring mechanism, trigger linkage, and the unique perforated cartridge case which characterizes ammunition usable with our novel weapon;

Fig. 6 is a View taken from line 6-6 of Figs. 5 to show from another vantage point the relationshins of the trigger, the trigger key and the safety button;

Fig. 6A shows the mechanism of Fig. 6 after the safety button has been rotated to release the safety preparatory to ring by depression of the trigger;

Fig. '7 is an enlarged section on line 1--1 of Fig. 5 through the guns trigger handle with the trigger and associated safety mechanism in place;

Fig. '7A shows the mechanism of Fig. '7 after the safety button has been rotated to release the safety (as from the Fig. 6 to Fig. 6A position) preparatory to firing by depression of the trigger;

Fig. 8 is an enlarged section on line 8--8 of Fig. 5 similar to Fig. '7 but taken from a dierent level of the trigger handle;

Fig. 9 is an enlarged reproduction of the hammer and cooking roller mechanisms first illustrated by Fig. 4;

, Fig. 17 is a rear elevation view of the gun with I its breech block withdrawn from the chamber and swung downwardly on a supporting hinge: and

Fig. 18 is a side View of the gun taken from line IB-I 8 of Fig. 17.

The complete recoilless gun Our inventive improvements are here illustratively disclosed as being incorporated in a military weapon of 75 mm. caliber capable of a completely recoilless firing of projectiles. As the description proceeds, it will become apparent that our improvements may also be applied to firearms of characters, sizes and shapes other than the one here disclosed and that the represented '75 mm. open-breech weapon thus has been chosen only to illustrate and not to limit the apparently wide application and scope by which these improvements are characterized.

The illustrative recoilless 'lrearm here shown consists of a barrel 30; an enlarged chamber 3| secured to the rear of this barrel and having the uniquely tapered shape represented; a breech blo'ck 33 partially fclo'sing therear of the chamber; a breech .bar 34 secured to the block and carrying trigger Yand 'breech handles 35-36-; a pair of carrying handles (one of which Vis shown at 38 in Fig. v1V) `and a sight l(not shown) for 'aiming the gun in conventional manner.

Carrying handles 38, in conjunction with the trigger :and breech handles Sii-35, enable two or four men readily to carry the weapon from one location to another. When the Agun is 'set up 'on a tripod Knot shown) for other suitable support, 'ring of the weapon is 'controlled by trigger handle 35 'conveniently grasped by 'the Aright hand of the user who places himself on 'the left side `"of vthe weapon ahead of the weapons breech and in position to look through the sight Cnot shown) in training the 4gun Von its target.

'Although the aforementioned parent :application vsets forth. in Icomplete fd'etail a description of the various component parts of our novel weapon, and this application is intended to disclose primarily the vfiring and 'safetyymechanis-ms thereof, it will be weli for va fuller understand ing of the latter novel mechanisms if some of the related parts are herein described. Accord-- ingly, there follows a brief description of the guns kchamber and breech, together with an 'outline -of the manner in which our novel recoilless type wea-pon functions.

The chamber and breech As here Vshown, the'g'uns chamber 3i 'takes the Four locking lugs shown at 49 extend radially from the central breech block 33 and interi-lt with mating protrusions 50 on the chamber Wall interior. Each locking lug 49 carries threads on the periphery thereof and each mating protrusion 5i! is provided with similar threads indicated at 5|. When these two sets of threads are 'engaged as shown in Fig. 5, they securely lock the breech block 33 in the rear of the chamber.

When inserted and locked within the chamber 3l this breech block 33 constitutes a rm support for the ammunition which it helps to position within the weapon. The steel of its central `core structure is vof suiiicient thickness and strength to withstand, with a factor of safety of well over two, the maximum rearward thrust exerted thereon during firing. Y

Cooperating with the guns barrel and the just described chamber and breech structure is ammunition having theunique perforated case shown in Fig. f5. As explained in "greater detail in the aforementioned parent application, the purpose oi the perforations lil@ in the Acartridge case Ml is to permit the powder gases to issue therefrom ina radial manner, so as to expand within the enlarged chamber 3i and become exhausted through the annular ori-nce i8 to the rear exterior of .the g-un with atorque equal but Vopposite in direction to that caused by a projectile '(not shown) upon being red through the guns barrel.

In the .loaded .position represented by Fig. 5J the cartridge case head 63 is accordingly engaged by a mating recess .i 3K3 in the iront of the breech block. This recess |39 flares outwardly toward the iront so as more conveniently to receive the case Vhead during loading. By its engagement with the head1, the rear of cartridge case 4l] 'i's centra-ily 4positioned within chamber 3l andthe entire case 'is restrained against backward movement. Thus positioned, the primer (not shown Y but contained within member l5B) carried by Vthe form `oi an 'enlarged 'cylinder uniquely tapered Y at its forward end and there affixed to the rear of barrel 3b in any integrally secure manner as bythe :aid of screw threads (not Shown). This attachment :of chamber Aand barrel 'may be 'effectved in 'any vdesired manner such asby brazing yor by use of the flange :d5 which Fig'. `1 shows. This iiange has internal threads (not shown) which mate with similar threads (not shown) Von the external surface of the barrel.

As the drawings show, thebree'ch block is a spider-like element removably secured within theyrear of chamber 3i, and constitutes only a ,partial closure therefor; (see Figs. 1 to 5 inclusive). It takes the form of a `cylindrical block 33 which is radially spaced from the ychamber wall in a -manner to forma substantially annular orifice that leads from the chambers interior tothe rear exterior oi the gun. A vsection of this annular orifice is shown at d8 in each of Figs. `toe inclusive and Fig. l1'7. AFrom those figur-es 1t will be seen that the breech block tapers inwardly from the front to rear.

cartridge case head E3 is engageable by a 'ring pin B6 protruding through the center o f the breech block 33 and there actuated by 'firing mechanism later to be described.

The annular 'orifice and recoil neutralisation Recoilless rearms of the open-breech type here `considered neutralize the forces of4 rearward reaction by :forwardly acting counterforces. In 1our improved weapon these counterforces :are pro-duced by acceleration of the rearwardly escapling vgenerated powder gases with a-n 'accom-pany* ing pressure radient within the chamber and Venturi. Therefore, the vpressure forces rea-rwardly 'acting against the obstructions presented by the breech can be "counteracted by the forwardly acting pressure forces on the small annular forward portion of the chamber trl., :forwardly acting drag forces of the projectile (not 'iown) in the -rifled (not shown) barrel 30, and

Y :by `the forwardly acting force component .pro-

duced by the pressure of expanding gases in the conical and divergent portions ofthe earlier indicated annular -orice .4B between the guns breech block 33 and the -rearwall of chamber l37| wherein this block is secured.

This annularor-iiice extends all the way around that blccks central core or hub and is obstructed only by the four ylocking lugs 49 which commence centrally from .the common vhub portion and terminate at their outward extremities in the breech .locking lugs 29 for engagement with threads V5i oi the protusions 50 that extend radially inward from chamber 3|. All circumthe annular orice now being described. By

thus acquiring momentum opposite to that of the forward moving projectile (not shown) the explosive gas thus expelled sets up the aforesaid counterforces which tend to neutralize recoil. In the aforesaid parent application there is described in detail the manner in which we supplement this momentum effect by making the annular breech orifice of the represented nozzle of cone shape. Also there described is the construction and function of the breech oriiice adjusting cone 54 which the drawings of the present application show (see Fig. 4) but which need not be described here in any further detail, other than to state that screws (see Figs. 5 and 9) serve to hold cone 54 in the illustrated position within the chamber 3|.Y

The breech block carrier and Zoch mechanism Explanation has already been given of how the breech block 33 is secured in the rear of chamber 3| by the aid of that blocks locking lugs 49 and the mating protrusions 50 on the chamber interior. In the closed and locked position represented by Figs. 1, 2 and 5, this support is all that is needed to hold the breech block in place, and it is fully adequate to restrain the maximum chamber pressures, which combustion of the propellent charge 55 sets up.

To facilitate loading and removal of the cartridge case 49 after firing, provision is made for unlocking this breech block 33 from its chamber attachment, rearwardly withdrawing it from the chamber 3| and swinging it out of alignment with the chamber interior to the downward position such as that represented in Figs. 1'7-18. Aiding these acti-ons is an operating member which illustratively takes the form of a pair of handles 35-35 which protrude from the breech bar 34, that is in turn secured to the breech block by means of screws 'Il (Figs. 2-3). Intermediate this bar 34 and the main body of the breech block is an offset ring-like extension 19 of the hinge xture 15. Around this ring extension both the breech block 33 and the bar 34 may be turned between the horizontal bar position of Figs. 1-2 and the inclined bar position of Fig. 3.

Counterclockwise rotation of the weapons breech bar 34 serves to engage the breech block locking lugs 49 with the mating threads of chamber protrusions 59 and thereby secures the breech block 33 within the chamber 3| as earlier explained; clockwise rotation moves the locking lugs out of engagement with the chamber protrusions and into the circumferential region between protrusions (Fig. 3). In the latter position, the breech block 33 is freed for rearward withdrawal from the chamber and downward swinging around hinge pin 80 to the position represented by Figs. 17-18. Hinge pin 8E), it will be seen from Fig. 18, extends through a hinge block '|6 that is attached by screws (not shown) to chamber 3|.

As reference to Fig. 5 will show, there is provided means in the form of a locking bar 89 which can manually be moved by a pin 88, but which is spring 9|-loaded so as automatically to act in locking the breech against rotative turning when the breech block is in the closed position represented by Figs. l, 2 and 5. When bar 89 is automatically so actuated, a central stepped position portion of bar 89 engages a slot 98 in ring-like extension 'I9 of hinge fixture 'I5 so as to lock the breech block 33 (see Fig. 5). This lock serves to prevent turning or opening of the breech block until the gun is red. When the gun is fired, the forwardly moving hammer 92, by reason of the tapered bottom of a groove in the hammer sidewall (with which the free end of bar 89 is in engagement) moves that bar against spring 9| so that the bars stepped portion is removed from locking engagement with groove 99. This function will become more apparent when the description of the ring mechanism is set forth below.

The firing mechanism The unique mechanical type of firing mechanism which we have employed in our novel Vweapon permits an -operator to re the weapon by a simple pressing of the trigger 94 carried by handle 35. In the disclosed arrangement there is provided a ring pin 56 which is threadedly attached to the forward end of the hammer 92 as shown in Figs. 4, 5 and 9. In the cocked position which Fig. 5 illustrates, the ring pin and hammer are withdrawn to their rearwardmost position which they attain by compressing spring 91. The hammer and firing pin are locked in this cocked position by means of sear 98 protruding into a groove |48 in the side of the hammer. When, as will be explained below in more detail` Sear 98 is withdrawn from groove |45, spring 91 expands thereby driving the hammer and firing pin forward with sufficient force so that the firing pin causes the primer (not shown) contained in percussion element 56, to be detonated. Fig. 9 shows the fully expanded spring 9'? and the position of the iiring pin and hammer after firing.

It should be understood that the firing pin at all times moves in unison with the hammer. The hammer, which takes the form of a metal cylinder, is shown in Figs. 14-15-16 in its relationship with the cooking rollers Ell- IM whose function also will be described below.

Cooking of the hammer Cooking of the hammer from the forward posi- 'tion of Fig. 9 to the rearward position of Fig. 5

is effected by rotation of the breech block 33 and its breech bar 34 from the "horizontal bar position of Figs. 1 2 to the inclined bar position of Fig. 3. Such rotation is translated into rearward movement of the hammer by means of two pairs of rollers Hi8-HH.

Rollers |95 are carried by the hinge ring 19 (see Figs. 5 and 9), while rollers 10| are carried by the breech bar 34. Both sets of the named rollers engage with longitudinal slots |03 in the outer surface of hammer 92. The forward portion of each of these slots is tapered as shown at |84 in Figs. 14-15-16.

With the breech block 34 in the horizontal position of Figs. 1-2, both sets of these rollers lll-I 0| lie along line 4-4 of Fig. 2 and sections therethrough appear as shown in Figs. 4 and 9. The hammer 92 is shown by Fig. 9 in its forward or red position wherein firing pin B6 has by the hammer in spring Si been moved to its forward limit of travel.

v Uponrotation of the breech bar 34 from the horizontal position of Figs. 1-2 to the inclined `.bar positionoi Fig. 3 the forward or hinge rollers npered portion im! ofthe hammer slot |93 against Astationary rollers imi and by a camming action which becomes apparent on comparing Figs. 15-16, forces the hammer 92 backwards against vspring 9'! and `into the cocked position shown by Figs. 5 and Y11. 'When the cocked position has been reached the scar shown at 93 in Fig. 5 is by spring action later to be described forced inwardly ahead of the rear face of a restraining slot shown at E40.

Release of the hammer In this position the sear 98 holds the hammer .cocked until such time as trigger Se may be depressed. Upon such depression of the trigger, vthe sear is withdrawn from its engagement with the restraining slot Hit, and hammer 92 plus iir- -ing pin 55 are allowed to move forward due to the expansive force of spring 9i. This forward movement brings ring pin @t against the ammunitions primer (not shown) contained in element 56 and thereby fires the weapon.

The main forward movement can, of course, take p?ace only after the breech bar 3% has been returned to the horizontal position of Figs. 1-2. In that horizontal position bar rollers IE!! are again realigned with hinge rollers lii as shown vin Fig. 11. This realignment frees the hammer Afor unrestrained forward movement as soon as Sear `98 is withdrawn from the front of the latching slot .hit therein.

In the illustrative construction shown hammer Q2 is fitted reiatively close to the inner walls of hammer housing 33. In order that air pumping action resulting from the closeness of this fit will not restrain longitudinal movement of the hammer with respect to the casing, there is provided in the hammers sides a second pair of longitudinal slots indicated at It? in Figs, 10 to 13 inclusive. These slots allow free passage of air into the space behind the hammer upon forward or iiring movement thereof, and from that rearward space upon backward or cooking movement thereof.

Complete hammer operation lfrom the rear, and this action in turn causes hinge rollers itt to cam the hammer Q2 backwardly against spring el as already explained. The so- 'cocked hammer now occupies the position yshown 94 as kshown in Fig. 5.

8 in Fig. 5. Retention in that position is effected by sear S8 blocking forward movement of the hammer as likewise shown in Fig. 5.

This blocking continues during subsequent withdrawal of the breech block 33 from the chamber to the position shown by Figs. 1'7-18. It also remains effective during reinsertion of the breech block into the chamber and engagement therewith by restoration of breech bar 3ft to the horizontal position of Figs. 1-2. Such restoration realigns rollers mii-itl from the condition shown by Fig. 16 to that indicated by Fig. 14.

This `re-alignment conditions the hammer for subsequent forward movement upon withdrawal of the restraining sear 98. Upon such withdrawal spring 9'! forces the hammer and its firing pin 56 rapidly forward into contact with the cartridge cases primer (contained in element 5E) and thereby detonates the primer and fires the round contained within the weapon.

By this action Ythe firing mechanism is returned to the original after firing condition with which this description started.

The trigger safety mechanism Cooperating with the hammer 92 and its just described cooking mechanism are trigger and safety mechanisms which will not be explained. These mechanisms utilize the earlier mentioned Sear shown at 9S in Fig. .5, the earlier mentioned trigger shown at in the same gure as protruding from the iorward end of trigger handle 35; and a rotatable safety button iii?, carried in the hollow end oi that handie as also shown by Fig. 5, as well as by Figs. 'Z-7A.

The sear s@ takes the form of a round rod slidaoly housed in the left half of breech bar 34 between the rear wall of that har and a front cover plate itt and having an outer end which is inclined as shown by 5 into a mating opening in the inner end of the plunger-like trigger 94. This trigger is axially movable within handle 35 and safety nxture iiii, but is by a key Hi prevented from rotation with respect thereto. By a double action of a trigger spring Vi i@ this trigger Q4, when not depressed into firing position, is urged toward its outward limit of travel. This travel limit normall7 would be the safety buttons opposed lower or inner projections Ili; however, the intervening agency `of the spring YI I5, being connected to the safety button below `projections i ill and also connected to the trigger Sli, limits such travel to the distance over which spring i iii may be compressed against projections H4. Such urging holds `seal' S5 against hammer 92 as shown in Fig. 5.

As Fig. 5 shows, spring iid not only exerts tension between parts t?, and iiic but it also is arranged to impart turning eiort on safety button HBS with respect to trigge will be more fully explained below. Incident to this turning effort use is made of the key iii which passes through anopening in the trigger by engagement with longitudinal slots iii inside the trigger handle 35 prevents rotation of the trigger within that handle while at the same time per` mitting axial trigger movement with respect to the handle.

Safety button is provi with step-like slots 15S through which the ends of trigger ykey IH protrude shown by Figs. The trigger spring ii@ encircles the t r rofl The two ends of this spring respectively are attached: (a) to an enlarged portion M2 of that rod shown in Fig. -5

toward the hammer 92.

at the sear-engaging end thereof; and (b) to the inner end Ml of the safety fixture |09 (again see Fig. 5).

During assembly of the parts shown in Fig. 5 this spring is so wound onto its two end attachments that upon insertion of the trigger key I through the step-like slots |55 and the trigger, the safety button |09 has exerted thereon a torque tending to rotate clockwise with respect to the trigger. (In this and later references to rotative directions with respect to the trigger, the directions should be considered as they would appear when viewed from the triggers outer end-L e., where it protrudes from handle 35-towards the triggers opposite or inner end.) This rotative urge positions the step-like safety slots |50 as shown in Figs. 56 and thereby safeguards the trigger et against accidental depression into the guns handle 35.

To insert the safety mechanism of Fig. 5 into the trigger handle the trigger 94 in relation to the safety it@ is depressed and rotated to its fullest extent so as to align key lll with the projections E le. Following insertion of the parts into the trigger handle the trigger safety buttons opposed lower projections H4 iit into an annular groove H5 that extends completely around the trigger handles interior as shown in Figs. 5 and 8. lSuch fitting holds the assembly of Fig. 5 in place within the trigger handle. Under this condition the safety fixture |09 is free only for rotation with respect to that handle 35 while the trigger rod 94 is free only for axial movement through the handle and fixture.

Conditioning the safety for firing It has now been seen that trigger spring IIEI urges the sear-end of trigger 94 outwardly toward the safety |09 andat the same time urges button |09 clockwise with respect to the trigger and pin extending therethrough. These two actions respectively hold the sear 93 against the guns hammer 9E and maintain the side or steplike slots |50 of safety |05! in the position of Figs. 5-6 to restrain inward movement of the trigger.

The rotational force on the safety button |09 at all times assists the tension force of the trigger spring in forcing the sear 98 inwardly by the cam surfaces of the step-like slots |50 in the safety button |09 engaging with the trigger key I||. This essentially has the effect of retaining the sear in position by a wedge-like action to make its operation more positive.

In order to condition the weapon for firing it is only necessary to turn the safety button |09 counterclockwise as viewed in Fig. through an angle of approximately 45 degrees. The relative position of the parts is shown in the drawings, Figs. 6-7, showing their position before turning, whereas Figs. 6A7A show the parts after turning. Such turning removes the slot sidewalls of fixture |09 from the path of inward travel taken by trigger key Depressing force now applied to trigger 94 results in inward movement thereof which pulls the sear 98 outwardly away from hammer 92 and thereby releases same for forward firing movement under the expanding action of spring 91.

Such firing nf the weapon, moreover, is possible only when safety |59 is held in the counterclockwise-turned position against the clockwise restoring torque of spring H5. Under this condition the trigger 94 may be depressed as just This is accomplished described. Under all other conditions spring |||l holds safety in the position of Fig. 5 wherein depression of the trigger and iring of the weapon are effectively prevented.

Summary From the foregoing it will thus be seen that we have improved the design and extended the usefulness of recoilless guns wherein recoil neutralization is effected by a rearward escape of generated powder gas through openings or orifices in the guns breech, and that we have provided improved firing and safety mechanisms for such recoilless guns.

Our inventive improvements thus are capable of wide application and hence are not to be restricted to the specific form here shown and described by way of illustration.

We claim:

1. In a firearm, the combination of a barrel, a chamber extending rearwardly therefrom, a breech block in the rear of said chamber, a bar extending across and secured to the rear of said breech block, a firing pin carried by said breech block, a hammer secured to and extending rearwardly from said ring pin, a compression spring behind said hammer, a hammer housing protrading rearwardly from said bar and surrounding said spring and said hammer whereby to support the former and guide movement of the latter, cooking means for moving said hammer and nring pin backwardly against the compression of said spring, sear means for restraining same in said cocked position, and trigger means for causing said sear means to release said hammer and ring pin for forward movement.

2. In a firearm, the combination of a chamber, a breech block movable into and out of the rearward portion of said chamber, a bar extending across and secured to the rear of said breech block, a handle affixed to said bar for transmitting operating movements to the breech block, firing pin and hammer members disposed within said breech block at a point traversed by said bar and movable with respect to the block and bar between a forward released position and a rear cocked position, a spring urging said hammer and ring pin towards said forward released position, cooking means for moving said hammer and firing pin backwardly against said spring and into said cocked position, a sear carried by and axially movable with respect to said breech block bar and normally effective to engage said hammer and latch same in said cocked position, a trigger carried by said bar handle and resiliently protruding therefrom, and means interconnecting said trigger with said sear in a way which causes depression of the trigger into said handle to withdraw said sear from said latching engagement with said hammer.

3. In a firearm, the combination of a chamber, a breech block therein, a bar extending across and secured to the rear of said breech block, a handle aiixed to said bar, a hammer disposed within said breech block at a point traversed by said bar and movable with respect to the block and bar between a rear cocked position and a forward released position, a sear carried by and axially movable with respect to said bar and effective to engage said hammer and lock same in said cocked position, a trigger carried by said bar handle and interconnected with said sear in a way which causes depression of the trigger into the handle to withdraw said sear from said latching engagement with said hamii finer, and resilient means urging said Sear into said latching engagement and holding said trigger protiuded from said handle.

4. In a rearm, the combination of a breech block, a bar extending thereacross, a handle af- Xed to said bar, a hammer disposed within said breech block and movable with respect to the block and said bar between a rear cocked position and a forward released position, a Sear carried by said bar and effective to engage said hammer and lock same in said cocked position, a trigger protruding from said handle and interconnected with said sear in a way which causes depression of the trigger to withdrawl the Sear from said latching engagement with said hammer, means resiliently urging said sea-r into said latching engagement and resiliently holding said trigger protruded from said handle, and a safety button portion of Said handle encircling said trigger and resil-i'ently held in a rst rotative position where depression of the trigger is mechanically prevented but tnrnable into a second rotative position Where said trigger is freed for depression.

5. In a rearm, the combination of a breech block, ahandlesupported therefrom, a hammer movable with respect to said block between a rear cocked position and a forward released position, a sear engaging said hammer and latching: same in said cocked position, a trigger protruding from said handle and interconnected with said sear in a way which causes depression of the trigger to Withdraw the Sear from said latching engagement, a safety button portion of said handle effective in a rst rotative position to make de pression of said trigger impossible and effective in a second rotative position to free the trigger for such depression, and resilient means operative to urge said sear into engagement with said hammer and also to hold said trigger protruded from said handle and said safety button in its said first rotative position.

WILLIAM J. KROEGER. CLARENCE WALTON MUSSER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 628,870 Tompkins July ll, 1899 2,399,248 Patrick et al Apr. 30, 1946 

